The Past Was Better
by Compendium
Summary: Caim, Inuart, and Furiae lived fairly happy lives before tragedies began to befall them.InuartXCaim later on. Other pairing in consideration.
1. Chapter 1

_**Caim-17**_

_**Inuart-14**_

_**Furiae-13**_

Caim swung the large broad-sword expertly, the head of some imaginary foe was sure to be severed. He was dressed in spare clothing, a loose white shirt and pants. They were casual and comfortable. The cold drifting in from the open ceiling of his castle's courtyard prevented him from getting too warm in his exercises. Though his skin was frigid his blood pumped from the exertion of his lone combat practice. He admired his weapon shinning for a moment before seathing it, gripping it firmly. Carrying it he strode up to the entrance doors to the castle, using his shoulder to push them open. The door shut behind with a resounding echo. He rushed up the main stairs breathing heavily, trying not to trip on the intricate rug that lined it. He was met with a large hallway, the hallway that led to all of the rooms on the second floor. Though the owner of the castle was meant to have the largest room on the highest floor Caim had never felt comfortable in the room that his long deceased parents had once occupied. As such he had chosen for himself a room like all the others, meant for guests. He had carved 'Caim' in his rooms wooden door when he was younger. Easily found. He opened the door and shut it behind him. Lifting the sword in with both arms he heaved it up onto it's rack that was mounted on the wall. After that he strode over to the sink and splashed water on his face, drying it off with a towel to complete the routine.

He yawned at his reflection above the sink. He _had_ been training for a while. Long ago had he discovered his love of the sword. He made his way to his bed, shaking of his sandals as he went. The Prince collapsed onto the comfortable queen-size and buried the side of his face in the many blankets. Before he knew it he was half curled and asleep, breathing slowed.

------

Inuart sighed as Furiae tugged on the hem of his tank-top. "Furiae I don't know how to cook for the last time!" Furiae looked up at him with big eyes. "Erm....but....brother's sleeping though..."

"Sleeping? This early?"

"Yah! I checked!" Furiae nodded eagerly. "I _just_ checked on him."

"Then ask one one of the chefs..."

"But it won't taste as good. Only people I reaaallly like make food taste good"

"I _would_ make you food since you say you like it but since _I_ don't like food I cook your just going to have to wait for Caim to wake up"

"But who knows when he will......"

Inuart shook his head as Furiae wandered off. Though Caim's cooking wasn't as good as Furiae made it out to be at least it was alright unlike his own. Burnt or raw. Inuart moved to sit on the couch of the not-so-small living room of the castle, grabbing his harp on the way. He admired it for a moment before he began to practice, plucking the strings lovingly. The harmonious sound filled the vast space of the castle walls.

------

Caim woke from his slumber to a fine tune. He sat up groggily and yawned, wiping the sleep from his eyes with his hands. He clumsily got up off the bed and began to follow the harp's music to the living room. Caim stopped to lean against the wall as he watched Inuart from his side, the musician so absorbed in his music that his eyes were closed and the outside world was drowned out. Caim smiled breifly and chuckled to himself. Inuart's playing stopped ubrubtly as he opened his eyes. "C-Caim?!" he stuttered, looking over. Inuart was very suprised seeing the other there. Even smiling? "Hey Caim....your smiling....it's kind of scary..." Inuart joked.

"Sorry that I scared you Inuart. Didn't realise it myself." Caim replied and paused for moment. Inuart motioned to the couch to the right of the one he was occupying. "A seat Caim?" he asked. Caim walked over and sat on the gray furniture, face now barren of his smile. "You know Caim. You should teach me some sword techniques" Inuart began the idle conversation. Caim raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not sure the sword is your thing. You should stick to your songs" he said.

"But I cannot protect Furiae with a song...." Inuart looked down at the harp in his lap. "Not unless I learn to shoot my harp from a bow" he laughed lightly at the joke, looking over to see that Caim was trying not to smile.

"As much as I'd like to see that it sounds ineffective. And besides that, it would be better if I did the fighting. A sword will only make me happy....however your songs.....make us all happy"

Inuart almost blushed at the praise from his older friend. "Am I that good?"

"Most definitaley" Caim replied. They grew silent for a moment before Caim spoke up again. "If...I teach you swordplay....maybe you might teach me to sing a bit?" he questioned. Inuart looked at him and soon a big grin overcame his face. "Yes! Of course. Oh thank you Caim!"

Their conversation carried on for the day until a very hungry Furiae had interrupted them for dinner. The trio then began to talk happily amung themselves over the quick meal. There were no complications back then. However the future was never that bright as it would seem.


	2. Chapter 2

**A bit longer than Chapter 1. Hope to increase the length in Chapter 3....**

* * *

It was the next day. Two figures could be seen in the castle courtyard. A pair of guards watched them from above upon the castle's balcony in the midst of conversation. "It seems Lord Caim is having a bit of trouble being a teacher eh?" said one of the duo. He scratched his chin, stubble starting to form from a neglect in the knight's hygiene. The other, who was leaning against the balcony's railing, looked back. "Not like he ever tried before. And Inuart ain't the best to be teaching to besides". They both found their amusement in the spectacle below.

"You weren't even holding the sword right to begin with!" Caim were standing next to each other. Caim had long since layed his sword down to assist his friend. Inuart reddened at the remark. "What do you mean? I feel like I'm holding it fine"

"You're right handed aren't you? So this hand goes in front of this one here!". Caim picked up his weapon and demonstrated, making a point of showing Inuart exactly how to grasp, even including a few demonstrative swings. "Do you see now?" he asked. Inuart looked at Caim's hand before coming back to stare at his own and began to adjust them, stealing a few more glances before he was sure he had it exactly right. "Now do a simple slash and see how easier it is" Caim said.

Inuart placed his legs apart and made sure he had his footing before diagonally swinging his sword. Though the sword was heavy Inuart was able to keep a firm hold of it as he gripped it to prevent the force of the move from flinging the sword from his hands. "Oh Caim it is better!" Inuart grinned.

"Of course it is. You've been doing it all wrong!" Caim scoffed.

"Not all that wrong.....Besides that, this is why I wanted you to help me"

"Help is definately what you need" Caim commented.

"I d-" Whatever Inuart had been about to say was cut off. "It's dinner time" Caim interrupted. "Let us put away the swords" Inuart paused before nodding.

Caim and Inuart walked together silently to the entrance room of the castle, Caim heading upstairs to once again mount his sword while Inuart walked in the direction of the weapon's closet. They were later reunited in the dining hall, Furiae already there at the table eating quietly. "Where were you both?" she questioned. Caim and Inuart pulled out there chairs and sat across from each other, both noting that there food was no longer warm. "I guess we were gone for a while...."Caim mused. Inuart just scratched his head. "Well....I guess we shouldn't have been hanging around in the weapon's closet before training"

"Oh? What were you two doing there then?"she questioned.

--------

"So why is'nt your sword here Caim?" Inuart asked.

"I would just.... rather prefer it in my room" Caim replied. They looked around. The weapon's closet was huge and it's not only was it's floor covered with weapons but it's walls as well. Large barrels held an assortment of lances and table tops were almost unseen among the many swords and shields that covered them. Inuart went over and looked up at rather long weapon. "A spear?" he asked. Caim shook his head. "Close but I believe it's a pike"

"What would the difference be?"

"Hmm. Besides being longer and not throwable it is also more of a....defense weapon. Not in my interests really" Caim stated. The young red-head eyed the pike. "It looks like it could be an offensive weapon too" he commented, grasping it and beginning to pull it out from the barrel it was in. "Hey don't pull that out!" Caim yelled at him.

"Why not?"

The barrel began to lean along with the other weapons. "Move!" Caim yelled. Instinctively Inuart began to move to the side as the pikes in the barrel began to shift their weight. Caim rammed the barrel, shoulder first. His bodie's force causing it to fall to it's right, Inuart fleeing safely to the left. The barrel hit the ground along with the weapons whose heavy weight caused a dent in the floor below. "Damn it Inuart!" Caim yelled, hurrying over to his surprised friend. "Be careful. They are heavy!" Inuart looked up at him. "I-I'm sorry Caim. That didn't hurt you did it?"

"No. No. I'm alright. Do you see now though? You would have to be inhumane to swing those around on the battlefield."

They both laughed good-naturedly. "We'll leave those for someone else to pick up right?"Inuart asked hopefully.

"Of course. No need to kill ourselves cleaning right?"

Now forgetting the pikes they moved on through the room to the back. "Look at all these swords!" Inuart exclaimed. "I've only used the training swords"

"Training swords are horrid. The faster you start using a real sword the better" Caim stated.

"Which should I use?"

"I don't think you could hold a broad sword that long. Maybe if you started working out...."

"Oh i'll start working out Caim! I'll have way more muscles than you!"

"Well. You do that" Caim brushed him off "Back to swords, I think a simple short or longsword would do for now. Pick one out"

Inuart examined all the swords. His eyes kept darting back and forth between the vast array that was presented to him. "I-I wouldn't know which to pick. A longsword sounds more close to what you use-"

"A broad sword"

"Yes, and I want a simple one too" By now the both of them began to shift through the pile of swords, pulling some out to look, only to cast them off to the side. Inuart eventually found a plain enough one that was almost pristine and in good condition. "Like this one!' Inuart exclaimed. Caim went to grab the hilt of it unbeknownst to Inuart, and accidentally their finger touched. Caim retracted his hand while Inuart appeared a bit startled. "Hand it to me" Caim said simply. "Inuart did so slowly, Caim not showing any motion to purposely avoid the others fingers. The longsword's transition went smoothly and Caim began to appraise it. He removed it from it's sheath before bouncing it slightly. He resheathed it before handing it over. "Seems fine. Let's go" he was already walking off, Inuart following behind.

------

"What were we doing? What else is there to do in a weapon's closet?" Caim asked to Furiae's question. She sighed. "Just making conversation brother...Um. How was sword practice Inuart?" She turned her head to look at him. He smiled. "I'm sure I got better Furiae. Now I...Maybe can guard you too!" he exclaimed happily. Furiae smiled a bit. Caim just sighed. "Hate to say this Inuart. Your not very good. You'll have to practice a lot more"

"I'm not bad though. I am definitely going to work out often. And definitely one day.....I'll beat you in a sword fight. Just wait Caim!" Inuart exclaimed.

"I think that's unlikely. At this rate you'll have to learn so much I doubt can teach you much. Plus with the war getting more out of hand I won't have the time to do it."

"Then i'll start learning from the guards.....Wait. You won't have time for me to teach you to sing will you?" Inuart had sound saddened. "Most likely not" Caim replied.

"Brother. You won't be gone often will you? You're barely around as it is...." Furiae stated.

"Who knows" Caim mused. His sister went back to eating silently with worried thoughts in her head. Caim and Inuart began to dig in as well. Unbeknownst to each other the two were thinking the same thing. Their hands touching. Contact was a rare occurrence to the both of them, having grown up without their parents and (beside from Furiae's hugs) neither had rarely touched another person since they were orphaned. Caim saw it as unpleasant and didn't wish to dwell on it further. However Inuart felt different. Caim's hand had felt warm. If only for that second.

* * *

**Next chapter is a bit more of their past but leads up to where Drakengard starts. I am planning on describing everything in more detail once I get to that point. Probably the.....fourth chapter will have a fair amount of Inuart/Caim interaction. THANK YOU FOR READING**


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